Lupus affects many people around the world. It is an autoimmune disease that can affect joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood, reproductive system, eyes, musculoskeletal system and/or brain of a person. Lupus can also affect the gastrointestinal tract (“gut”). Lupus patients can suffer from nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and other symptoms. Sometimes Lupus is correlated with the cessation of antimicrobials, statins and other drugs. Researchers have also correlated certain kinds bacterial mixtures in the microbiota with Lupus (see an article entitled “Interaction of Intestinal Microorganisms with the Human Host in the Framework of Autoimmune Diseases” by Sanchez et al in Frontiers in Immunology, 2015 November; 6:594, pp. 1-9). Lupus has long term consequences such as pain and severe inflammation that can become fatal. Therefore, mitigating Lupus can substantially improve a person's quality of life and lifespan.
Present treatments for Lupus have primarily included nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), disease-modifying, anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), immunosuppressants, diuretics and corticosteroids. Such drugs are prescribed because they reduce inflammation and help to regulate the immune system. Examples of such NSAIDs are ibuprofen, naproxen, nabumetone, celecoxib and indomethacin. Examples of such DMARDs are hydroxychloroquine, cyclosporine and azathioprine. Examples of such corticosteroids are prednisone, cortisone and hydrocortisone. A problem with these treatments is that they come with side-effects such as gastrointestinal disturbance, infection and cancer. Also, the aforementioned drugs do not address the root cause of Lupus; namely, a microbial agent(s) that causes a cross-reaction, i.e., a cross-reaction occurs when the immune system's antibody(ies) confuses a foreign molecule with a self molecule, which then causes the antibody(ies) to attach to and attack self-tissues.